If Only In My Dreams
by Divinia Serit
Summary: Christmas is a time for family, friends, and good cheer, but what happens when disaster strikes? Secret Santa present for Lea loves Thursdays. Pairing: Jane/Lisbon
1. Chapter 1

**Title: If Only In My Dreams  
Author: Divinia Serit  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing them!  
Prompts: Lisbon Hurt/Comfort, Something Good (The Sound of Music)**

A/N: This story is a Secret Santa Christmas present for I 3 Thursdays on the JelloForever Forum. It was beta'd by the lovely Tromana. (Thank ya, ma'am for all your hard work!) It is a five chapter story, and I hope y'all enjoy it!

Chapter One

Tidbits of wrapping paper littered the floor while half-full champagne glasses were scattered around file covered desks. Crumbs covered various surfaces, and a half-eaten snowman cookie lay in a crumpled napkin. The crooning voice of Frank Sinatra lightly echoed throughout the room originating from the CD player tucked away in a forgotten corner. A small Christmas tree twinkled in another corner, each ornament featuring a black and white mug shot of each agent. Someone had been creative with the decorations this year.

She had volunteered to clean up, so that the others could get home to their families. Minelli protested, arguing that she had taken the duty the last three years in a row. She raised an eyebrow and asked if his wife was waiting for him. He huffed a response knowing she was dead on, as usual. This year he was taking his granddaughters to the candlelight Christmas Eve service and he didn't want to be late. Placing his hand on the shoulder of his favorite agent, he pulled her into an unexpected hug.

"Merry Christmas, Lisbon," he said gruffly before leaving the building.

A melancholic smile crossed her face as the rest of the agents left the office rushing home to crackling fireplaces, warm mugs of hot chocolate, and loving families. A few, of course, dashed off to the nearest store to urgently purchase that last minute gift. She realized that even Jane had left while she swept the remaining food into a large trash bag. She hoped that he wouldn't wallow in self-pity, but she wasn't sure where else he would go or what kind of plans he had. Then she wondered why that bothered her so much. She collected the remaining glasses and poured the contents down the sink, watching as the bubbling liquid sparkled on the stainless steel. The faint strains of 'I'll Be Home for Christmas' carried into the small break room and she paused for a second. Singing along softly, she continued to pick up the trash that had been tossed haphazardly by excited agents that had acted like children at the thought of presents.

Glancing around the empty office, she heaped the overflowing trash bags in the corner for the cleaning crew to pick up later. Picking up an unopened bottle of wine that had been stashed in a cabinet, she grabbed a clean glass and headed towards Jane's couch. She laughed mirthlessly at the thought. When had she started to think of the couch as Jane's? Settling into the soft leather, she poured herself a glass of wine. She closed her eyes at the tart taste as it trickled down her throat before opening her eyes to watch the sparkling lights that reflected around the office.

It wouldn't hurt for the decorations to stay up a few more days she decided as she swirled the wine in her glass around. There was something strangely hypnotic about Christmas decorations. They filled her with a sense of peace and she wasn't quite ready to go home to her dark house just yet. She had stopped decorating long ago; she hardly saw the point when she rarely had the time to enjoy them, let alone put them up and take them down. She had mailed her brothers and their families presents weeks ago, and she already had two small boxes labeled 'Do not open till Christmas!' resting on her kitchen table.

Draining the glass, she slowly stood up and gave the room one last once over. It would be presentable enough for the skeleton crew working the holiday shift. She flicked off the lights, locked a few doors, and headed to the stairwell. Wrapping her jacket tighter around her, she buried her hands in the pockets and strolled to her car. It was a clear night and the stars dotted the velvet sky. The streetlights cast an ethereal glow on the sidewalks and the scent of pine wafted throughout the air as her footsteps echoed across the pavement. Her breath came out in smoky wisps and she was hit with the memory of trying to puff out different shapes while chasing her brothers around the yard.

With a heavy sigh, she slid into her car and cranked it up letting the heat warm her chilled hands. Leaning her forehead against the steering wheel, she debated what to do when she got home. She had a couple of frozen dinners left over that would be easy to heat up, and the elderly woman who lived next door had brought her some ham, green beans, and homemade bread the day before. Maybe she'd watch an old movie - she was feeling especially partial to Julie Andrews lately. There was nothing like Maria and the Captain to whisk away her thoughts to the mountains and hills and focus on someone else's happiness for a change.

Her breath caught in her throat and she wondered what would happen if she actually had someone to come home to. Maybe next year she'd try and get a few days off to spend the holidays with her brothers. She was proud of how they had all created new family traditions and memories, even if she hadn't been able to create any for herself. Quickly wiping her eyes, she turned on the radio and pulled out of the parking lot. There was a mug of hot chocolate waiting for her at home and she'd splurge on an extra large helping of marshmallows and maybe add a peppermint stick.

She drove carefully, her eyes focused on the road ahead. The night was beautiful, and every house she passed seemed to be decorated with a plethora of wreaths and twinkling colored lights. The effect was mesmerizing. She cursed as a SUV swerved around her, crossing the double yellow lines, obviously in a hurry to get somewhere. She frowned. She was already going five over the limit and the road conditions were not the safest. Out of nowhere, a large dog appeared in front of her, its silhouette frozen in her headlights. With a gasp, she jerked the wheel to the right and cursed her luck as she hit a particular icy patch. Skidding off the road, she breathed a small prayer as her car crashed through the metal guardrail and flew down the steep embankment.

She could feel her seatbelt digging into her skin as she was thrown forward, her head cracking against the window. The belt tightened and she was pulled back against the seat her head whip lashing violently. She could taste blood in her mouth as she fought with the wheel before crashing into an unknown solid object as the car flipped over. The last thing she remembered was the windshield exploding into a million pieces, glass flying everywhere as a branch punctured through the passenger seat. Then, the world went black.


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm not going to leave you in suspense for too long! I'm glad everyone's enjoying this one so far, and thank you for all the wonderful comments and kind words! Thanks to: TROMANA, CURELESS, SMUDJE, GABRIELE, LEA LOVES THURSDAYS, CHIISANA MINAKO, AQUILA1, RAQUELVALENTE91, YABA, KATHAREN SILVER, ODAKOTA ROSE, FAMOUS4IT, MTM, FALLENANGELSOFLOVE, ELODIE WOLFE, SPORTSBABE527, LIVELOVELAUGHLIFE, HOUSECALLS, and MWALTER. Fanfiction is being odd, so I haven't replied to everyone's reviews yet, ebcause they haven't hit my inbox, but I will soon! Thanks for being patient!**

**Lea- I'm glad you're still enjoying your Christmas present!**

Chapter Two

The first thing she realized was that everything hurt. A steady throb seemed to pulse throughout her body and she could feel something wet and sticky running down the side of her face. Lisbon fought to keep her eyes open, in protest of her body's urge to sink back into the darkness. She could feel the cold wind sweeping through the shattered windows and she shivered, emitting a soft gasp of pain. Resting her head against the side of the door, she tried to wrap her mind around the situation and what she should do next.

Her right arm was pinned to her body thanks to a large tree branch that had just missed her. She wiggled her fingers, but was till unable to pry her arm free. The steering column had crumpled downward, effectively pinning her legs as well. She could feel a slight numbness and took that to mean there was no permanent damage. Her head was becoming more foggy and she tried to remember where she had stashed her cell phone and groaned when she realized it had been in the cup holder. It could be anywhere inside or outside by now.

She felt tears prick at her eyes at the utter hopelessness of her situation. It was dark and people would be home for the night enjoying the warmth of a crackling fire. She was pinned inside of her car, which seemed to be on its side, with no light or cell phone. She had no plans and wasn't due back into work for another two days. She had no one and nobody would know to look for her. Drawing in a ragged breath, she closed her eyes and debated what to do next as the pounding in her head steadily grew worse.

Opening her eyes, she realized she had fallen asleep and cursed herself for her stupidity. There was a good chance she had a concussion and she needed to remain awake as long as possible. Her head felt a little clearer and she fumbled around with her left hand before emerging with a broken piece of glass. She grimaced as she felt it slice into her skin, and carefully hacked at her seatbelt. It was slow going, but eventually she tore through the belt with a sigh. She was free from the restrictive harness, even though she still couldn't get her legs free.

A faint musical melody startled her and she gasped as the glass cut into her skin once more. Straining her neck, she saw the faint glow of her cell phone near her feet. Squirming, she tried to reach the ringing phone. The tendons in her shoulder protested at the stretching movement and she bit her lip to keep herself from crying out. Her fingers brushed against the plastic, but the phone was still just out of reach. It rang once more before falling silent. Slamming her hand against the steering well, she cried out as pain radiated up her arm. Her shoulders heaved and she sucked in a few gulps of air as she tried to calm down. She couldn't help herself if she got more upset. She needed to remain calm and collected.

* * *

Patrick Jane raised his glass and smiled as another agent wished him a happy holiday. The office was covered in red and green lights and paper snowflakes covered the ceiling cheerfully spinning with each passing movement. Little bits of glitter cascaded to the floor under his watchful gaze. Slipping into a corner, he leaned against the wall and scanned the room quietly observing its inhabitants until his gaze rested on one particular brunette who seemed to be spotlighted in the center of the room. Her smile was infectious as she laughed with a few of her colleagues, but there was a hint of sadness that lingered over her features.

Her off-the-shoulder little black dress clung to her petite frame and showed off her toned legs which looked even longer with the addition of the four inch stilettos. He wasn't sure how any woman could possibly balance, let alone walk in shoes like those. Crystal encrusted snowflakes dangled from her ears, just barely brushing her neck whenever she moved her head. Her upswept hair was starting to work its way loose and a few tendrils curled about her face. She looked positively radiant and he smiled softly when her sparkling green eyes locked with his across the room.

She cocked her head and furrowed her brow slightly in response to his diluted behavior. Shaking his head slightly, she shrugged in response before turning back to her current conversation. If anyone had been watching him they would have noticed a wistful expression cross his face as he followed her movements throughout the room. Once again, he noticed a bit of disillusionment in the way she moved. She paused and ran her eyes over the tree in the corner and he suddenly wondered what holidays had been like for her as a child. She seemed slightly upset with the festivities, but he doubted that anyone else would notice. Whatever the problem was, he was determined to make her smile with his surprise tonight. They both needed to replace old memories with new ones.

It had been relatively easy to get inside of her apartment and he was relieved he didn't have to resort to picking the lock. Edna, the elderly woman who lived next door, was delighted that such a dashing young man was going to spend some time with her sweet neighbor and brighten the poor girl's holiday. Jane thanked the woman as she lent him her spare key and bit back a laugh at the thought of Lisbon listening to Edna's advice. Half an hour later, the table was set, the wine had been poured, and he had even erected a small Christmas tree in the corner of her living room. The only thing missing was Lisbon herself.

He glanced nervously at his watch as apprehension began to creep throughout his body. He knew she didn't have any plans tonight, and yet it was getting close to ten p.m. Settling on her couch, he turned on the television and half listened to the Peanuts gang dancing around in the snow and teasing Charlie Brown about his pitiful tree. At quarter past ten, he stood with a frown and grabbed his suit jacket. Shrugging into it, he wondered if she had been delayed at headquarters. His thoughts trailed off and he tried to ignore the queasy feeling that settled in the pit of his stomach.

Grabbing his wallet and keys, he locked the door behind him before venturing out into the cold December air. Fumbling with the door of his Citroen, he slid in and cranked up the heat. Rubbing his hands together, he wished he had worn a warmer coat as he pulled onto the street. Pulling out his phone, he dialed Lisbon's number and groaned when she failed to pick up. That definitely wasn't like her and he fought to quell the panic at the mere thought that something had happened to her. Lost in thought, he never noticed the broken guard rail and the skid marks on the opposite side of the road.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I'm overwhelmed by the reviews and wonderful comments y'all are leaving me! Thanks to: WILD DAISIES, JADESTAR, and SHOPPING-LUVA for reviewing chapter 1. And thanks to: JISBON-FAN, CHIISANA MINAKO, JADESTAR, ELODIE WOLFE, AMBER, ODAKOTA ROSE, FAMOUS 4 IT, FALLEN ANGELS OF LOVE, SHOPPING-LUVA, CURELESS, TROMANA, PENELOPE LOUISE, RAQUELVALENTE91, and TESSA27 for the lovely chapter 2 reviews! *Passes hot coccoa and gingerbread men to everyone* Thank you!**

**PS- I forgot to mention that the title comes from the song, 'I'll Be Home for Christmas'. I love Christmas music, especially when it's sung by Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and the like!**

Chapter Three

Lisbon shivered as the temperature continued to drop and she tried to nestle deeper into her wool coat. Her cheeks were stinging from the freezing wind that steadily picked up as the night grew darker. Her teeth chattered and she tried to force her numb fingers across the knobs along the console. She pressed every button and poked and prodded every light in the hope that something might still work and could be used to signal someone from the road. The crash must have shorted out everything in the car, not that anyone had passed by yet.

She craned her neck, pressing her cheek against the broken window and tried to calculate the distance her car had fallen. Maybe she could angle a mirror or arrange some shards of glass to reflect light from…she paused and shook her head. What was she thinking? There was no way she could MacGyver her way out of this one. Huffing in frustration, she rubbed her hands together to try and warm up her fingers. Her head felt fuzzy and muddled and all she wanted to do was go to sleep. Her eyelids drooped as she began to sink back into the warm darkness.

With a jerk, she practically leapt forward and groaned as the sudden movement pulled at her injuries. She could not fall asleep. She tried reaching for her phone once more, but the last call had vibrated it further out of her reach. She could feel the burning tears pricking at her eyes, but she refused to give up. Lounging back against the headrest, she began to recite the CBI rulebook in order when the beam of a headlight appeared around the bend, the faint glow of lighttrickling through the trees.

Eyes wide, she yelled until her throat was hoarse while trying to break the window closest to her in hopes of making enough noise to stop the other driver. She wasn't sure how much time had passed since the crash, but she had a feeling this was the first car to drive by since she had swerved off the road. The lights brightened and cast eerie shadows throughout the wreckage, causing her to stare in horror at her bloody hands. She continued to yell as the lights slowly faded out of sight, dragging away any hope of rescue along with them.

* * *

Jane cursed when he pulled back into the parking lot outside of the office. Her car was missing, and probability dictated that she had made other plans for the night. She wasn't required to alert him of everything she did and she was more than capable of changing her plans without his approval. He couldn't help the nagging feeling that continued to gnaw at him as he entered the darkened building in spite of his thoughts. What if there had been a struggle? What if there was an address written by the phone? It just didn't seem right.

He ventured up the stairs and smiled at the sight of the lights still strung throughout the building. Combing the wall for the light switch, the room was suddenly cast into a myriad of festive colors. His eyes swept around the room, noticing the full trash bags by the door. The food had been put away and any perishable trash had been removed. His eyes lingered on the half empty bottle of wine near his couch. With a frown, he slid onto the soft leather and picked up the bottle.

A faint scent of cinnamon touched his senses as he leaned back onto the couch. It was a smell he equated with Lisbon, and he was positive she hadn't set foot near the couch during the entire party. Closing his eyes, he tried to visualize her mindset. She had seemed relatively happy, although a hint of sadness lingered about her. Opening his eyes, he noticed the Christmas tree was directly in his line of sight. Setting the wine bottle down, his forehead creased in concentration as he stood and made his way to her office.

Jimmying the lock, he quickly flipped through her desktop calendar without luck. She had a few post-it notes attached to the wall committing specific dates and upcoming deadlines to paper. He ran his hands along the mahogany desk before opening the first draw hoping for any clue to her whereabouts. Rummaging through her things, he emerged triumphantly with a small bag of chocolate, a bottle of Aspirin, and a collection of colorful, yet blank, post-it notes. It was useless.

He stood up with a sigh and plunged his hands into his pockets. His fingers hovered over the plastic buttons of his cell phone and he wondered if she had left with one of the other agents. He debated whether it would seem to suspicious for him to call someone else. After all, it was after ten p.m. and everyone else was probably enjoying their holiday. His feelings of concern won out as he dialed a number from heart. Listening to the empty ringing, he silently begged the older man to pick up.

"Virgil, Merry Christmas. Look, I'm sorry to bother you…" he was interrupted as the director kindly told him to get to the point. The faint laughter of children in the background suggested his granddaughters wanted no part of going to bed early so that Santa could arrive.

"Have you seen Lisbon?" he asked nonchalantly. He heard the director pause before answering he had left her cleaning up. Everyone else had left, and the senior agent had offered to pick up so he could get to his church's candlelight service. Jane frowned, and then decided to take the plunge.

"No, it's not big deal, she just hasn't arrived back at her apartment yet. I wanted to bring over her present, and I can't seem to find her…" he trailed off as the older man offered suggestions of possible locations she may have gone to. Minelli knew the holidays were hard on the brunette, and although he may not have verbally acknowledged his approval, he was pleased the consultant and his senior agent had taken an interest in one other.

Jane ended the call, and took one last look around the room for any sign of foul play. Seeing nothing of interest, he turned off the lights and headed out of the door. Growing more concerned, he toyed with the idea of driving past some of the places that Minelli had mentioned. Climbing into his car, he made the split second decision to head back to Lisbon's apartment for one last check. He hoped she had returned home by now. He wanted to catch a glimpse of surprise across her face when she entered her home, but he would trade that feeling in a heartbeat to have her home safe and sound.

Humming along to the Christmas music playing softly on the radio, he let his mind wander to the beauty of the scenery that flew past him. His favorite houses had always been the traditional ones with wreaths on the door and candles in the windows. He had never been fond of garish displays of lights and inflatable figures that people seemed to favor of late. Pulling around the corner, he slammed on the brakes when a large dog appeared off to the side. The dog barked once and then disappeared into the darkness in an almost exact repetition of the earlier scene. Shaking his head, Jane turned back towards the road and sucked in a sharp breath as his headlights glimmered on the broken metal of a guard rail.


	4. Chapter 4

**WOW! Y'all are being awesome with reviews! I've enjoyed meeting so many new people! Thanks to the following for reviewing Chapter 3: TROMANA, MTM, PENELOPE LOUISE, RAQUELVALENTE, MWALTER, CHIISANA MINAKO, LISBON69, HOUSECALLS, CURELESS, SHOPPING-LUVA, FALLEN ANGELS OF LOVE, EMMA BERLIN, JADESTAR, TESSA, and SPORTSBABE! Thank you all so much! They'll be one chapter after this, and I'll post it tomorrow! I'll also finish responding to reviews later tonight! I'm in the middle of a massive room cleaning :D**

Chapter Four

Jane leapt out of the car without even bothering to turn off the engine. Slipping on the pavement, he sprinted over towards the shattered railing and peered into the darkness below. His breath came out in foggy spurts as he raced back to his car. Falling to his knees, he fumbled under the driver's seat for the spare flashlight he kept stowed for emergencies and prayed that the batteries were still good. He emerged triumphantly with the plastic torch and raced back to the embankment. The faint glint of metal reflected back up at him, and he felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach.

Scrambling down the hill, he used his hands for leverage as the frozen dirt crumbled beneath his dress shoes. He felt sticks and stones tear at his hands as he tried to keep from falling head over heels. He knew that he would be no use to Lisbon if he knocked himself out. After several painstaking moments, he found himself on relatively flat ground and stared at the wreckage in front of him. Forgetting to breathe, he bounded over to the driver's side window and peered through the broken glass, only to be met with a mop of curly brown hair matted with blood.

He cursed as he tried to open the door. The impact of the crash had jammed the locking mechanisms, and he took a step back and pulled out his phone. No service. He yelled and kicked a pile of broken glass, sending the silver shards flying. A soft moan interrupted his tantrum, and he rushed back over to the window. Lisbon blearily opened her eyes and stared at his with a mixture of shock and confusion. Her eyes were unfocused and she struggled to fixate on his face. She was shivering violently, and he longed to pull her into his arms and tell her everything was going to be alright.

"Jane?" she whispered.

"Shh, hang on, Teresa. I'm going to get you out of there."

"Hurts," she added and he noticed that her body stiffened as she leaned her head back against the head rest. Her eyes started to flicker shut and he began to panic as he considered the extent of her injuries.

"No Lisbon, you can sleep later. I need you to stay with me now. Tell me about the Christmas party," he urged as he looked around for something to pry the door open with.

"You were there," she muttered and he fought the urge to smile. At least she was still up to arguing with him.

"I left early," he replied. "What did you eat?"

She sighed loudly before mumbling various appetizers and desserts. He listened for a few seconds before climbing a little ways up the embankment in hopes of getting better reception. His phone lit up and he quickly dialed 911 only to be cut off. Scowling, he fumbled with the buttons, willing his frozen fingers to type faster, and sent a short text to Cho. Sliding back down the hill, he heard Lisbon ranting about some other agent at the party. Although her jumbled words were starting to slur, she appeared to be rather coherent at the moment.

He dug his fingers into the door and pulled as hard as he could. Nothing seemed to work. Circling around the crumpled car, his face whitened at the sight of the tree branch that punctured through the passenger side shattering the windshield before finally resting just a few inches from Lisbon's shoulder. Her eyes slowly followed his movement as he wandered around the car before returning to her window. She eyed him sleepily and he noticed the thin trail of blood that trickled down the side of her face.

"Where'd ya go?" she asked while using her free hand to rub at her temple.

"Christmas shopping," he replied enthusiastically as her lips curved upward in a small smile. In spite of the cold, he pulled off his jacket and passed it through the window. She opened her mouth to argue, but a quick glare from him left her speechless as she covered her body as best she could.

"How did you get down here anyway?" he asked softly. He wanted to keep her talking as much as possible. Hopefully, the ambulance was on its way. He didn't want to leave her, but if he hadn't heard sirens in another five minutes, he was going to have to climb out and go for help himself.

"Dog in the road," she answered shortly while she tried to shift her weight unsuccessfully. Huffing in frustration, she turned her head to face him once more. "Jane…"

"Shhh," he interrupted as the faint sounds of sirens echoed in the distance. He sighed in relief as the wailing grew louder and louder, red and blue lights flickering across the trees.

The next few moments passed in a blur, and he felt like he was watching the scene from outside of his body. Casually brushed aside, he backed up to give the emergency workers all the room the needed to cut Lisbon out of the car. For several minutes, the screeching sound of metal reverberated throughout the forest as the door was ripped from its hinges. He wasn't sure how much time had passed when they finally freed her legs from the crumpled dashboard and paramedics swarmed around her. He never noticed that he was shivering himself, and practically flinched when someone touched him on the shoulder.

"She's asking for you," the woman said as Lisbon was being lifted onto a stretcher.

She looked so pale against the crisp whiteness of the clean sheets, and his breath caught when he realized how close he was to losing her. He noticed her eyes sleepily darting around, searching, and she visibly relaxed when he moved forward to grasp her hand. He stroked the back of her hand with the pad of his thumb and wished he could take her place. She didn't deserve this; not on Christmas Eve. Her heard the rasp of a man clearing his throat and lifted his head to glance at the paramedic opposite him.

"Are you coming with us?" the man asked as they began to lift her into the waiting ambulance. He hadn't even noticed the nearby access road that lead right to the bottom of the embankment. Nodding, he followed behind her and sat beside the stretcher as they began to record her vitals and insert an IV.

"Thank you," she mumbled and gripped his hand tighter as the ambulance sped off into the night.


	5. Chapter 5

**Well, here we are! The last chapter! Thanks to everyone for being so supportive and leaving me such wonderful reviews! Y'all are the best! I'm glad y'all enjoyed this story, and Merry Christmas Lea! I'm glad you liked your present! Thanks to: SPORTSBABE, YUKINAKID, ODAKOTA ROSE, FALLEN ANGELS OF LOVE, MWALTER, AMBER, TROMANA, JACKSAM, FAMOUS4IT, PRINCESS POPSICLE, SHOPPING-LUVA, MTM, RAQUELVALENE, and CHIISANA MINAKO. I really appreciate those of ya'll who have taken the time to review every chapter! Your comments were wonderful! Okay, I'll shut up now! Enjoy!**

Chapter Five

Lisbon glared at the analog clocked that seemed to echo throughout her room as it ticked through the passing time. She had been in the hospital for exactly twenty two hours and forty six minutes, and she was getting restless. The atmosphere was entirely too cheerful, and she could feel another headache forming at her temple. The hospital television was only playing family Christmas movies- not exactly her cup of tea during this season, and a nurse popped by every few hours to check on her condition which rendered napping useless. She had sent Jane home a few hours ago, stating that she was grateful for his help, but that he should head home and get cleaned up. He had been sitting with her since she was admitted, and although she was thankful for his presence, surely he had better things to do than to baby-sit her.

They had kept her overnight since she had a concussion, and although it wasn't the first holiday she had spent in the hospital, it sure wasn't what she had planned. Her right leg was elevated on a small stack of pillows with an adhesive bandage wrapped around her foot. She wiggled her bare toes and silently decided to treat herself to a pedicure when her foot was healed. She had stitches in her left hand and along her hairline. Considering the damage to her car, she was honestly amazed her injuries hadn't been more severe. One of their biggest concerns was hypothermia considering the amount of time she had been trapped outside. She figured a nice hot cup of cocoa would do her wonders, but of course that hadn't been viewed a good idea by the nursing staff. Spoilsports… all of them.

Sighing restlessly, she shifted her bruised body. No internal injuries, but the doctor warned her she would be sore for the rest of the week and to take it easy. Bed rest was recommended which she agreed to for the sake of the doctor. In reality, she knew she would be up as soon as possible. There was no way she was going to lie around for a week. She had already leafed through the magazines the staff had provided for her and she wondered when they'd let her out. Her temperature was back to normal, and they had already stated there wasn't anything else they could do for her. Closing her eyes, she decided she'd try and fall asleep. The painkiller cocktail she was on did make her feel quite drowsy. Snuggling into the pillow as best as she could, she started to drift off when she suddenly felt another presence in the room.

Cracking an eye open, she noticed Jane trying to be inconspicuous as he slipped into her room. She was tempted to just close her eyes again when he noticed she was awake. A grin lit up his face and he waved a handful of papers at her. Her stomach leaped for joy when she realized he had her discharge papers. A small frown marred her pretty features and she wondered just how he had been able to sign her out. Noticing her contemplative expression, he started to open his mouth to explain when the doctor entered behind him.

"I've already explained your prescriptions to Mr. Lisbon. You'll need to make a follow-up appointment with a physical therapist in the next week to make sure you have full mobility of your foot and that bruised shoulder. Do you have any questions?" He mistook her blank look for acceptance, wished them both a Merry Christmas and quickly glided out of the room. When he was gone, she turned to Jane with a small smile.

"Mr. Lisbon?" she asked with an arch of her eyebrow. He had the decency to look sheepish as he grinned back at her.

"It got you out of here faster," he offered with a shrug, and she was pleasantly surprised by the lack of a snide comment she expected to follow that statement. Sliding out of bed, she was instantly bombarded by a panicked Jane. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" he exclaimed as he rushed towards her with his hands out.

"I'm not going to fall over," she announced with a glare. "I'm sore, not near death." Holding his hands up in defeat, he passed her a change of clothing which she took in relief. She really didn't want to walk out in the drafty hospital gown. Eyeing his choice with interest, she turned to him with a smile.

"I guessed at your size," he said with a surprisingly shy smile as she removed the tags. She waved him out of the room, so she could change in privacy. Heaven forbid she need help with that. She just grinned as she eyed the grumpy children's character on the front of the tee shirt. He had chosen clothing a size bigger than what she normally wore, and she discovered it wasn't as hard as she thought it would be to change.

She yelled for him to reenter, and she quickly grabbed the crutches that were propped against the wall. She was ready to go home. Struggling with the crutches that were too tall, Jane held back his laughter and silently readjusted them for her. She huffed out a sigh before following him out of the room. Jane made her wait in the lobby while he pulled the car around, which she decided to do without a fight. He was being quite the gentleman tonight, but she expected nothing less of him. The lack of their playful banter was a bit odd, but she figured he was still just worked up after the accident.

"Your carriage awaits, milady," he announced with a lazy bow before hurrying to help her into the car. She eyed his Citroen with a smirk and he glared playfully at her. "It's a classic work of art!" he stated as she just rolled her eyes. They drove mostly in silence, but she swore she saw him glance at her several times as if to reassure himself that she was still there. Her heart warmed at the thought.

She shuddered when they passed the scene of the accident, and jumped slightly when he grabbed her hand with a soft squeeze. They pulled into her apartment complex with no delays, and he handed her the crutches with a wink before walking quickly to her front door. She eyed him warily- she knew him well enough to know when he had an ulterior motive. Pawing through her belongings, she pulled out a fistful of keys and dropped them in his waiting hand. Unlocking the door, he ushered her in first and she stopped with a gaping expression.

A small tree stood in the corner of her living room, twinkling brightly with strands of multi-colored lights. Several glass ornaments covered the tree and reflected light throughout the room. A stocking hung on a small nail hear her fireplace, filled to the brim with unidentified items. Her kitchen table had been set for two, and a small plate of steaming spaghetti sat in the middle of the table. Speechless, she turned to him with questions burning in her eyes as she tried to comprehend the scene in front of her.

"Merry Christmas, Lisbon."

"Wha…. How? Why?' she asked, stumbling over the words. He just shrugged and pulled out her chair, carefully removing the crutches before she could drop them. Turning towards the DVD player, he pushed play and her eyes shown at the sight of Maria and the Captain dancing across the screen.

"I was planning to watch that last night," she said softly.

"I know," he replied. "You were humming it while trying to stay awake," he added when he noticed her questioning glance. She smiled softly as the lyrics floated throughout the room.

"_For here you are, standing there, loving me Whether or not you should So somewhere in my youth or childhood I must have done something good "_

"Thank you," she said after a few minutes of silence. His eyes locked with hers and she saw a faint flicker of emotion pass through his normally veiled gaze.

"You know, it's funny but it's true," he started. She watched him with interest waiting to see what he'd come up with next, and was surprised when he reached across the table and interlocked their fingers. "I must have done something good."


End file.
